Name:   Vincenzo Iacovoni

Place of birth: Giulianova, Italy

Genre: Wildlife, with a preference for birdlife

Gear: Canon 1DXII, Eos R, 500 f4 IS II, 100-400 IS II, 16/35 f4    

35 f/2, 50 f/1.8, 8- 15 fish-eye and many more

 How did you get started as a photographer?

I have had a passion for photography since I was a child. Only my father knows how much he spent on developing films with silly content! When I was 26 years old, I was able to buy my first digital SLR and telephoto lens. They opened a vast and brand-new world to me, one I will never cease to explore.

What was the best piece of advice you received starting out?

The best advice I have been given was that having the best equipment isn't everything. Now that I own a complete set of professional equipment, it may sound strange. But, when it comes to nature and wildlife photography, it is more important to know the suitable places, how to lurk, be patient, and only then how to press the shutter button.

"Shining like the sun"

Have you noticed any changes in how wildlife photography is done since you started?

Now there are places with artificial environments designed to attract animals, either with food or water, especially during the winter. Some will even offer carcasses to attract birds of prey. I don't frequent these places. I prefer to work on all aspects of the photo myself so that I can create something unique.

What makes a good picture better than average?

I believe that photographing an animal at their eye level makes the result more effective, taking us into the animal's world. Of course, there are exceptions, but this simple rule tends to be enough to add something more to the photography.

"I'm taking it home"

Which photographers inspire you, and why?

I follow many photographers to be inspired by their technique, but Audun Rikardsen is the most important name to me. He has mastered the use of wide-angle with a remote shutter to photograph birds

Can you tell us about the most memorable photo you have ever shot and what made it so special?

"They are never enough"

According to many, and also in my opinion, my best photo is one I took of a puffin carrying fish with its beak at Farne Islands, England. This photo has won several online competitions and awards.

I am very happy with this result because I spent three years trying to get this photo right. Not that it is difficult to immortalize a puffin, but it was hard to find a subject with a large amount of fish in its beak and still allowing to be photographed from the front.

This frontal angle is far from obvious given that, when they have fish in their mouths, they immediately hide in their den to avoid attacks. And this subject did all this in front of the white background of a cliff (allowing me to use the high key technique).

In this photography, you see the fish struggling while the puffin shows a delightful and funny look. It incites mixed feelings, making of this naturalistic photo something more.

What was the biggest challenge you have had to overcome, and how did you do it?

Honestly, I have faced different challenges that have been resolved differently depending on the animal I want to photograph. Maybe the night photo trap is one of the greatest challenges because I can't control what the camera will do when left alone overnight. I can only hope that my predictions about when an animal will pass in front of a certain point, based on tracks and other signs left behind, will come true.

What is your essential camera equipment (up to 3 pieces of camera equipment you couldn't live without)?

Certainly, my 500mm f4 lens. Its brightness makes them "multipliable" and "duplicable", turning them into a multipurpose lens. I can even use it with a full aperture at full frame without getting a single blur!

Why have you decided to become a Curator of 100 ASA?

I believe it can help me to grow as a photographer, considering this is an experience I still lacked, while also supporting the growth of other photographers.

Can you tell us an anecdote about your career?

I find it ironic that I travel a lot in search of subjects to photograph, only to find out that I was the first to photograph a particular type of bird called Great Spotted Cuckoo just behind my house.

I was contacted by an ornithologist who gave me the news and asked if I could give him the photo. It isn't a great photo, but it has value for being the first certain sighting of this species in Abruzzo, the region where I live.